I came to this country as a 5-year-old little girl with just my small suitcase...

As our final trip of 2017, JD and I met up in Palm Springs...

 The strong personalities of the different home architecture line up as I stroll through Venice. It's like looking at a family portrait of the California family. The colorful houses reflected in the Venice canals under a bright blue sky. If the definition of beauty is symmetry and lighting, well, I just captured the perfect beautiful day.

My desire to see Bali had been a long-held dream, after studying Indonesian at school and most of my Australian friends making the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime. So when the stars aligned and I found an opportunity to take a solo trip, I couldn't have jumped faster.

When sunny skies meet mirrors and metal, the Chicago architecture pops before it melts into the clouds.